The peasants living in the neigh-boürhood have a further tale of their Own, and old men who were present at the scene and with whom I ry: self have spoken, confirm the story in all its details, According to their account, when the pit was being dug round the roots, a mass of long black snakes came wriggling forth out of the hole and made off in a southwesterly direction. These sua they aver. afterwards turned into Boxers, and thus avenged the gious deed committed by the press-Dowager or could there be any doubt about this, For did not the Boxers originally come from the southwest? And did not their activities bring down (he atest tribulation on the head of the all-powerful Empress-Dowa
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.